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Weakened Tropical Storm Mawar brings heavy rains to Japan’s southern islands as it passes by

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

NAHA, Japan (AP) — A weakened Tropical Storm Mawar was bringing heavy rains to Japan’s main southern islands after passing the Okinawan archipelago early Friday.Residents in vulnerable areas were warned of the potential for flooding and mudslides. Strong winds continued on Okinawa and dozens of local flights were canceled for the day. Formerly a super typhoon, Mawar had winds blowing up to 90 kph (56 mph) as it moved east of Okinoerabujima over the Pacific Ocean, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.While wind damage was limited in Okinawa, warm and damp air from the tropical storm was intensifying seasonal rains, threatening flooding and mudslides, the meteorological agency said.Up to 35 centimeters (1.1 feet) of rain was forecast over the next 24 hours through Saturday morning. The agency issued flooding and mudslide warnings in parts of southwestern Japan, cautioning residents near rivers and hillside to use caution. Mawar largely skirted Taiwan and the Philippines after tearing ...

Meta to test blocking news on Instagram, Facebook for some Canadians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

OTTAWA — Meta is preparing to block news for some Canadians on Facebook and Instagram in a temporary test that is expected to last the majority of the month. The Silicon Valley tech giant is following in the steps of Google, which blocked news links for about five weeks earlier this year for some of its Canadian users in response to a controversial Liberal government bill.Bill C-18, which is currently being studied in the Senate, will require tech giants to pay publishers for linking to or otherwise repurposing their content online.Meta said it’s prepared to block news permanently on Facebook and Instagram if the bill passes, which the government said could happen this month. Rachel Curran, head of public policy for Meta Canada, said this first temporary move will affect one to five per cent of its 24 million Canadian users, with the number of those impacted fluctuating throughout the test. Randomly selected Canadian users will not be able to see or share news content in Canad...

After decades of attempts, major Alabama bill to cut state’s 4% grocery tax wins final passage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama families could soon pay less at the grocery store after lawmakers gave final passage Thursday to a landmark bill that would gradually remove half of the 4% state sales tax on food, capping decades of fruitless attempts at such a tax cut. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Kay Ivey, whose office said she will review it when she receives it. Alabama is one of only three states that tax groceries at the same rate as other purchases. Advocates had long argued that taxing food at such a rate placed an unfair burden on families in the poor Southern state, where 16% of the people live in poverty and the median household income hovers around $54,000.The Senate voted 31-0 to approve an amended version of a House-passed bill on Thursday. The House later voted 103-0 to agree to the change. Final legislative passage came after decades of attempts at the Statehouse in Montgomery but this year’s measure gained broad bipartisan support against a bac...

Woman walking on California beach finds ancient mastodon tooth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

APTOS, Calif. (AP) — A woman taking a Memorial Day weekend stroll on a California beach found something unusual sticking out of the sand: a tooth from an ancient mastodon.But then the fossil vanished, and it took a media blitz and a kind-hearted jogger to find it again.Jennifer Schuh found the foot-long (.30-meter) tooth sticking out of the sand on Friday at the mouth of Aptos Creek on Rio Del Mar State Beach, located off Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz County on California’s central coast.“I was on one side of the creek and this lady was talking to me on the other side and she said what’s that at your feet,” Schuh recounted. “It looked kind of weird, like burnt almost.”Schuh wasn’t sure what she had found. So she snapped some photos and posted them on Facebook, asking for help.The answer came from Wayne Thompson, paleontology collections advisor for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.Thompson determined that the object was a worn molar from an adult Pacific mastodon, a...

Boy, 16, charged for throwing firecrackers at people, setting them off on TTC busses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

Toronto police have charged a 16-year-old boy after numerous instances in which he threw firecrackers at bystanders and set them off inside a TTC bus.Authorities said a boy boarded a TTC bus on Wednesday, May 24, in the Guildwood Parkway and Livingston Road area in Scarborough.The boy allegedly threw firecrackers from the bus into a crowd waiting at a bus stop. Police said the boy exited the TTC bus and boarded a different one.The same boy lit and threw a firecracker on the bus, and one person sustained minor injuries.One day later, on May 25, the same boy boarded a TTC bus in Scarborough’s Guildwood neighbourhood, lit a firecracker and threw it. Police said the bus had to be evacuated due to smoke, but no injuries were reported.RELATED: ‘Irresponsible behaviour’: TTC investigating after firework set off on busOn Thursday, police arrested and charged a 16-year-old boy with three counts of mischief, two counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possessing a ...

Oregon Democrats vote to fine absent senators amid GOP walkout

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Senate Democrats plan to start fining their absent colleagues amid a month-long Republican walkout, a move they hope will pressure boycotting lawmakers to return to the chamber as hundreds of bills languish amid the partisan stalemate.In a procedural move Thursday, Democrats voted to fine senators $325 every time their absence denies the chamber the two-thirds quorum it needs to conduct business. The amount reflects lawmakers’ average daily pay, according to the office of Democratic Senate President Rob Wagner.“Oregonians work for a living every day, and they don’t get paid when they don’t show up,” Wagner said while addressing the Senate. “We have a huge stack of bills sitting right over there on that cart, just waiting for us to take them up, to debate and to vote.”The month-long Republican walkout — the longest-ever in the Oregon Legislature — once again prevented the Senate from reaching a quorum on Thursday. But Democratic Senate Majority Leader Kate L...

Judge delays first criminal trial in Elijah McClain’s death over objections of prosecutors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A judge agreed Thursday to delay the first criminal trial in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died after being stopped by police in a Denver suburb, forcibly restrained and injected with a powerful sedative nearly four years ago. Lawyers for the two officers previously scheduled to go on trial July 10 had asked for more time, saying they could not mount a proper defense because prosecutors have not spelled out what actions by their clients allegedly led to McClain’s injuries, or whether they are accused of being directly responsible for his death or considered complicit in other defendants’ actions. The defense attorneys said that prevented them from lining up the appropriate witnesses to testify at the joint trial for Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt. Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber had objected to a delay, saying the defense has had 20 months to prepare. Judge Mark Warner ruled that prosecutors must provide mor...

Englewood man convicted of attempting to murder 2 Chicago police officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

CHICAGO -- A Englewood man could face up to 100 years in prison for reportedly attempting to murder for shooting at Chicago police officers who responded to an emergency call in 2020.According to the Illinois Attorney General's Office, a Cook County jury found Latrell Allen, 23, of Chicago, guilty of two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm in the direction of a peace officer. “I am pleased with the jury’s decision,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “I remain committed to working with law enforcement agencies across the state to stem the tide of gun violence in Illinois and help keep officers safe as they protect our communities.” 2 teens charged for killing of Waukegan volleyball coach In 2020, Chicago Police officers responded to a 911 call of a man in Moran Park with a gun and saw Allen near the park wearing clothing matching the description given by the caller.Allen fled from the office...

Shocking video shows man in alligator habitat at Florida Busch Gardens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A shocking video shows a man in the alligator habitat at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.Nick Reid told News Channel 8 that the man jumped into the enclosure on Wednesday to film a video."He caused a huge commotion and got within 5 feet of an alligator," Reid said. Bible to be removed from some Utah school library shelves Dozens of visitors surrounded the enclosure, many of them with their phones out recording.Several people are heard telling the man to get out of the habitat. "It's very dangerous. Please come out," one person said."Another wild Karen. Crikey," the man says while in the enclosure. A few moments later, the man jumps back over two fences that block guests from the gators.Busch Gardens told News Channel 8 that the man violated park policy with "complete disregard for the safety of himself, our employees and our animals."The park said there is clear "Do Not Enter" signage and multiple barriers indicating the habitat was a restricted acce...

Ocean 'Kelvin waves' detected, signaling an imminent El Niño pattern

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A phenomenon called Kelvin waves has just been detected in the Pacific Ocean -- a sign that the developing El Niño pattern is imminent. Significant El Niño pattern developing The International Sea Level Satellite, the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, detected these 2-4 inch ripples in the ocean that extend for hundreds of miles. These Kelvin waves occurring along the Equator are due to westerly winds that drive warmer sea water to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The accumulation of unusually warm water in the Eastern Pacific Ocean causes a weather pattern change due to a shift in the jet stream. With the jet stream shifted farther south, this could allow more storms to be driven into Central Texas.The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is able to monitor ocean conditions by using a radar altimeter to measure the height of the ocean's surface.The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite pictured here detects sea level height data. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech What it takes f...